Simply Hibi review - Simply delicious

Now I was sent the below details for Simply Hibi and it interested me enough to want to review the drink, I love a new fruit drink and there have been some great ones, I am definitely into the more exotic drinks, pomegranate, passion fruit mango to name a few.

I have always loved the flower hibiscus, aptly known for the varieties we grow here as the hollyhock tree. Simply Hibi is made from Hibiscus Sabdariffa which is used for food and not ornamentally grown.

So I have learnt some things about this exotic flower and drink, if you read on after my piece there are some fab health benefits.

 But before that the important bit for me, how it tastes...a drink may have health benefits but are sometimes unpleasant and a chore to drink.

Simpli Hibi is a rich purple red wine colour. Its taste is sweet and smooth. I was expecting a perfumed flowery taste for  some reason, instead its a rich fruity flavour, it reminds me of plums, a damsony blackberry taste.

Its so moreish I had to have another large glassful, for review purposes of course!!

Its refreshing, pleasant and if you like a drink for the antioxidants but don't like a sharp taste, this is the drink to try.
Shhh dont tell anybody but its fab with gin and ice too.

Read further as its had some amazing results in the treatment of high blood pressure.



HIBISCUS ON THE PULSE AS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE REMEDY

Do you know what your blood pressure is? There are approximately 16 million people in the UK suffering from high blood pressure (1) – and, unbelievably, one-third are unaware that they have the condition (2), which is often dubbed ‘the silent killer’ because of its lack of symptoms. People with high blood pressure are three times more likely to develop heart disease and stroke and are twice as likely to die from these as people with normal blood pressure (3).

In recent years, hibiscus has come into the spotlight for its natural effectiveness in helping to reduce blood pressure, with a team at the University of Lancaster currently exploring existing research from the US and China that highlights the health-giving properties of the flower.

Research from the American Heart Association published in 2009 revealed that drinking hibiscus tea lowered blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. Nutrition scientist Diane McKay led the study, which was part funded by the US Department of Agriculture.

In a clinical trial, McKay tested 65 volunteers between the ages of 30 and 70, whose systolic blood pressure was 120-150mmHg and whose diastolic blood pressure was 95mmHg or less at the start of the study. For six weeks, half the group drank three cups of hibiscus tea a day, while the other drank a placebo beverage containing artificial hibiscus flavouring and colour.

The findings revealed that the volunteers who drank hibiscus tea had a 7.2 point drop in their systolic blood pressure, compared to a 1.3 point drop in volunteers who drank the placebo beverage. In those with mean systolic blood pressure over 129mmHg, the reduction was nearly 14mmHg. The study's author noted that hibiscus flowers contain anthocyanins, natural antioxidants found in plants, which help improve capillary function and strengthen collagen.

The hibiscus plant has a long international history and a powerful health story to tell. Adopted as part of a healthy diet, it can have preventive benefits against a wide range of conditions. Although its merits are relatively little known in the UK, it has been consumed for centuries in the Caribbean, the Far East and Africa and has proven to be an effective natural remedy for a wide range of ailments. Along with helping blood pressure, hibiscus anthocyanins are believed to protect against certain cancers and significantly reduce blood cholesterol levels. Hibiscus is also associated with preventing urinary tract infections commonly associated with the bladder and kidneys.

The easy and delicious way to get all the benefits of hibiscus is with Simply Hibi, the super juice that contains 17 times more anthocyanins than cranberry and other juice drinks. Antioxidant-rich Simply Hibi is a 100% natural, hibiscus infusion drink that provides an effective natural remedy for high blood pressure. Its composition of 85% hibiscus-infused water and 15% grape juice concentrate ensures a rich berry flavour and no artificial colourings or preservatives are added.

Simply Hibi is produced using the flowers of Sabdariffa hibiscus, a tropical variety of hibiscus grown by 2,000 small-scale farmers in Uganda, who derive their livelihoods from the flower’s production. The project was the brainchild of father-and-son team Charles and Will Irving, turf farmers from Cumbria who drew on their vast travel experience to set up a series of hibiscus growing trials in Uganda in 2003. Last year, the 2,000th smallholder grower was recruited to grow the tropical flower.

Will Irving, owner of Ibis Organics and the Simply Hibi drink, said: “The study by the American Heart Association shows clearly that drinking hibiscus is a good way for high blood pressure sufferers to help ease their condition. It is worrying how many people are unaware that they might have high blood pressure and so we would encourage people to try Simply Hibi for themselves as an easy, effective way of combating the problem. Not only is it good for you, it also tastes refreshing and delicious.”

Simply Hibi is available in selected Waitrose and Sainsbury’s stores, as well as Holland & Barrett health food stores. It is available in one-litre tetra cartons with an MRRP of £1.39.